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Shirov and Akopian have met for the first time at the Soviet junior championships. Since then, they played 20 games, with overwhelming score for Shirov - 10 wins and 10 draws. Nevertheless, Akopian is ultra-solid player and is steadily raising his level over the last couple of years, so Shirov will be facing a difficult task.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Akopian is avoiding sharp Sveshnikov Sicilian and goes for safer setup where he will be trying to exploit small structural advantage.
3... e6 4.O-O Nge7 5.b3 a6 6.Bxc6 Nxc6 7.Bb2 b5 8.c4 bxc4 9.bxc4 Rb8 10.Bc3 Curiously, both Shirov and Akopian have played this line with white pieces. Here Kramnik continued 10...Qc7 against Shirov, while Eljanov used 10...Bb7 against Akopian
10... d6 11.Na3 e5 12.Nc2 g6 ( Novelty! 12... Be7 was played in 4 games, in one of them Akopian beat Kasparov!)
13.Ne3 Bh6 Shirov is solving the problem with dark-squared bishop.
14.Qa4 Bd7 15.Rfb1 Bxe3 16.fxe3 White can't really take advantage of the open f-file because black can exchange one of the rooks, but he can create pressure on the queenside. (16.dxe3 was interesting. White can press on backward d6 pawn, but c4 is also weak.)
16... Nd4!? Shirov took quite some time to calculate, there must be something. 17. Qxa6 Ne2+ 18. Kh1 Nxc3 19. dxc3 is the critical line. White has two pairs of doubled pawns, but a2 is extra passer and d6 is hanging. 17. Qd1 is safer, but gives no advantage.
17.Qxa6 Akopian is finally taking on a6 after careful consideration. Shirov has to play Ne2+ or Rxb1+ and Ne2+
17... Ne2+ 18.Kf2 Nxc3 19.dxc3 Ke7 The main questions is whether Akopian should attack on d6 or prepare a-pawn advance. Qa7 with idea to exchange on b8 twice, or Qa3-Qc1-a4 are some of the solutions.
20.Nd2 (20.Qa3 Qc7 21.Qc1 Ba4)
20... Ra8 (20... Qc7 was interesting)
21.Qb7 (21.Qb6 Qxb6 22.Rxb6 Ra3! and black is even slightly better! Passed pawn is blocked and others are horribly weak. Without the Queens on the board, d6 is not so weak anymore.)
21... Qa5 22.Qb2 ( Akopian decided to hold on the extra pawn but 22.Qd5 Qxc3 23.a4!? was interesting)
22... Rhb8 23.Qc2 Rxb1 24.Nxb1 Not only that moving a-pawn is impossible, but Shirov has also created strong pressure on white's weak pawns. We can say that black has equalized.
24... Rb8 25.Nd2 Qa4! Excellent, Queens exchange will help black not to worry about d6 or some intrusion over light squares. (25... Qa3 26.Nb3 Ba4 27.Rb1)
26.Rc1?! ( Better was 26.Qxa4 Bxa4)
26... Qxc2 27.Rxc2 Ba4! 28.Nb3 (28.Rc1?! Rb2!)
28... Bc6 Shirov has slight advantage! In spite of being pawn down, white's pawns are very bad and Rb8 is holding the only open file.
29.Nd2 Ba4 30.Nb3 h5! no repetition! Shirov is going for a win.
31.Ke1 h4 32.Kd2 Bc6! now that Nd2 is not possible
33.Kd3 f5! Players are moving quickly, must be time trouble before 40th move. Nevertheless, Shirov continues to play the best moves.
34.exf5? Mistake, now black pawns will be rolling through the center. (34.Nd2 was the only move)
34... gxf5 35.Rf2 Ke6! 36.Ke2 Ra8! Rook goes to a4 and white is probably losing a pawn
37.Ke1 Ra4 38.g3 hxg3 39.hxg3 Be4 If Nd2, black plays Bd3 first (39... Rxc4 40.Na5)
40.Rh2?! (40.Nd2 again the only move)
40... Rxc4 Time control has passed and Shirov is holding decisive advantage
41.Kd2 Ra4 42.Kc1 c4! Powerful move! Nd2 loses pawn, so knight is forced in the corner. Then, king march probably wins g3 pawn.
44.Rd2 Rg8 45.a4 Rxg3 46.Nc2 Bxc2 47.Rxc2 Rxe3 48.a5 Kd7! easiest way to stop the pawn. We should expect resignation soon
49.a6 Kc7 and Akopian resigned! Fantastic game by Shirov! He obviously is in wonderful shape and everything seems so easy when he's on the board. Shirov should be considered as one of the main favorites to win the World Cup. Thank you for following the live commentary, we continue the coverage with Carlsen-Adams.
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